Scheduling problems as you describe are probably why the A380 has had such dismal sales.
All passengers have some importance for an airline, or we’d see all first class airlines. I think we actually have but as I recall they haven’t done too well, which actually is a bit surprising to me.
I really appreciated EVA Air’s Evergreen Deluxe class, which is about $200 more than tourist class and gives you business class seats but only slightly over tourist class amenities. It made my flight to the Philippines via Taipei, Taiwan a great deal more pleasant, even though only the long LAX to Taipei flight is formally Deluxe Class(*).
I wish more airlines would do something like that. If the A380 was designed with that type of service in mind, I’d probably cheer it on — but from what I’ve seen it looks like EVA Air with its Boeing 747s is more innovative than Airbus in this regard.
You would think EVA would love the A380 since they run two flights with 747s from LAX to Taipei that leave within about an hour or two of each other, but I haven’t seen them in reference to the A380 at all.
D
(*) As an interesting sidebar, the Taipei, Taiwan airport is one of the most inhospitable airports I have ever visited despite being sleek, ultra-modern and conspicuously expensive in design and construction. A gleaming, shiny, conspicuously efficient looking bottled water vending machine that appeared to accept no known currency, even currency it claimed to like, was just one of the ugly surprises.
True, but the routing and timing of nonstop flights is driven by sales of premium seats. Economy seats get sold to at whatever the market will bear to fill up seats. At the margin someone in San Antonio can get tickets to London at the same price whether making a longer connecting flight but shorter transatlantic flight at IAD or JFK or a shorter connecting flight but longer transatlantic flight at DFW, IAH, or ATL. KLM actually charters an all business class 737 BBJ between IAH and AMS just so they can have an additional business class departure time without hauling around any more cheap seats. All the economy seats on KLM are put on a daily 747-400M which is a combi passenger/freighter derivative.
EVA Deluxe class is a welcome relief for the long haul traveler. Also North Wests’ Business World Class(something like that) offers larger seats w/cocoon like almost flat reclining. I just did Taipei to Detroit 2x’s last week and it was very much welcomed.
Also Singapores’ Business class makes the trip much easier. If you fly that route much consider joing their Kriss Club.